Top Four New Deductions for 2025
Additional Deduction for Seniors:
Overview of the deduction
- Effective 2025 through 2028, individuals age 65 and older may claim an additional $6,000 deduction.
- This is in addition to the standard deduction for seniors available under existing law.
- Applies per eligible individual (or $12,000 for a married couple if both spouses qualify).
- Phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $75,000 ($150,000 for joint filers).
Who qualifies
- You must be age 65 on or before the last day of the tax year.
- Available for eligible taxpayers (both itemizing and non-itemizing).
No Tax on Tips:
Overview of the deduction
- Effective 2025 through 2028, employees and self-employed individuals may deduct qualified tips they received in occupations the IRS identified as “customarily and regularly receiving tips” on or before December 31, 2024, and are reported on a Form W-2, Form 1099, another statement furnished to the individual, or on Form 4137 if the individual directly reports the tips.
- “Qualified tips” include voluntary cash or charged tips received from customers, including shared tips.
- Maximum annual deduction is $25,000.
- For self-employed individuals, deduction cannot exceed net income (before this deduction) from the trade or business where tips were earned.
- Phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers).
No Tax on Overtime:
Overview of the deduction
- Effective 2025 through 2028, individuals may deduct the portion of qualified overtime pay that exceeds their regular rate of pay (for example, the “half” portion of “time-and-a-half”).
- Overtime must be reported on Form W-2, Form 1099, another statement furnished to the individual, or directly by the individual. (Provide a last paystub if employer doesn’t report it on W2 or other means.)
- Maximum annual deduction is $12,500 ($25,000 for joint filers).
- Phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers).
No Tax on Car Loan Interest:
Overview of the new deduction
- Effective 2025 through 2028, individuals may deduct interest paid on a loan used to purchase a qualified vehicle for personal use that meets other eligibility criteria. Lease payments do not qualify.
- Maximum annual deduction is $10,000.
- Phases out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income over $100,000 ($200,000 for joint filers).
What counts as qualified interest
Interest must be paid on a loan that:
- Originated after December 31, 2024
- Was used to purchase a vehicle originally used by the taxpayer (not a used vehicle)
- Was secured by a lien on the vehicle
- Was for a personal-use (nonbusiness) vehicle
If a qualifying vehicle loan is later refinanced, interest paid on the refinanced amount is generally eligible for the deduction.
What counts as a qualified vehicle
A qualified vehicle is a car, minivan, van, SUV, pickup truck or motorcycle that:
- Has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 pounds
- Underwent final assembly in the United States.
To verify final assembly, check one of these:
- The vehicle label at the dealership
- The vehicle identification number (VIN)
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA VIN Decoder (verify vehicle assembly location)
Who qualifies
- Available to both itemizing and non-itemizing taxpayers.
- You must include the VIN on your return for any year you claim the deduction.
Reporting requirements
- Lenders or other recipients of qualified interest must file information returns with the IRS and provide statements to taxpayers showing the total amount of interest received during the taxable year.
